The grey prince and the pea
by moonlightdreamer1
Summary: It's another fairy tale AU based on the princess and the pea. I hope you'll all enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

This is another fairy tale AU based on the story of the Princess and the pea as well as Once upon a mattress. As usual this has my own little unique twist to the story. Warnings of angst and fluff. I have dyslexia so please go easy on the spelling and grammar. I will say one of the hardest things to work with in the princess and the pea is that you really only have like one day for them to meet and fall in love to work with.

The grey troll and the pea.

Chapter one:

Once upon a time their lived a beautiful and kind troll princess, who wanted nothing more than to find her true love, get married and love happily ever after. Her father King Peppy however was very protective of his daughter, he insisted that she could only marry a true prince and so it was that every prince who came to the castle as a suiter to the princess had to undergo a test to prove that they were a true prince. None of prince's who had sought the hand of Poppy in marriage had ever passed King Peppy's test and Poppy had to admit that she was starting to wonder if any prince ever would. The pink troll princess also felt that it was a little unfair that the test changed with every prince, but her father insisted that this way no one could cheat by telling another prince what the test had been Poppy had no argument to her father's reasoning.

Then when Poppy was twenty on one cold and rainy night there came a knocking on the castle doors, since she was going past the castle doors at the time the princess went to the door, she opened one of the doors and found standing on the doorstep was a very wet grey troll who had clearly been caught in that night's storm. He looked at her and said very politely. "Forgive me, I was going home when the storm struck. I was hoping that as I was of royal blood I could seek shelter here for the night."

Poppy took in his bedraggled state and his simple clothing, she found it hard to believe that this was a royal of any kind but she was to compassionate to leave the troll out in the storm. "I am princess Poppy please come in prince…?"

"Branch please just Branch."

"I see Branch what an unusual name."

The grey troll was hardly surprised that the princess did not recognise his name, his people lived far away from hers deep in the forests. The grey troll was also not a prince but he was not about to correct the princess by telling Poppy what his true title was, he had to admit she was a beautiful troll. Branch had of cause heard about princess Poppy and her father King Peppy testing every royal troll who came to the castle as her suiter. "Branch is the translation of my name into your language and it is also considered a good strong name where I come from." The grey troll explained to the princess.

"Oh, where is that?" Poppy asked curiously.

"Far from here princess." The grey troll said as he took off the backpack he had been carrying. "As long as the storm is gone by morning I shall leave again."

"Well if you will come with me I am sure I can find you somewhere to stay for the night."

Branch bowed to the princess. "Thank you. You are most kind princess Poppy."

As they walked along the corridors of the castle the princess couldn't help but look at the troll by her side. Grey was such an unusual colour but she had to admit despite his odd colouring Branch was a handsome troll. The pink troll found herself wanting the storm to last, she wanted to get to know this strange troll from far away, Poppy had never felt like this before and these feelings took her completely by surprise. Poppy took the grey troll to the room of her friend and a knight of the castle sir Creek, she knocked on the door and waited. A few moments later the purple troll opened the door, he looked at the two trolls standing in the doorway and gestured them into his room. "Princess Poppy how can I help you?"

"Creek this is Branch, he was caught out in the storm and wanted somewhere to stay. Branch is of royal blood please don't tell my father that or he will want to make Branch undergo a test and he is only looking for somewhere to stay for the night."

Creek looked at the grey troll, he had the same feelings as Poppy this troll could be no royal yet he claimed to be one. The purple troll was half tempted to tell the King of Branch, just to watch him fail at a test like all of the other who had come here before him but as the princess was his oldest and dearest friend Creek decided to help his friend. "I see princess, well my rooms were built for two trolls so I have a spare bedroom he could use for the night."

"Thank you Creek." The princess said to him with happiness.

"You are welcome princess." With this said Creek escorted Branch into the spare room he had. Once the purple had made sure that his unexpected guest for the night was involved in settling in for the night. The knight left the bedroom, he went back to the main room, Creek crossed the room to Poppy and said to his princess. "You don't really think he can be of royal blood, do you?"

"I don't know, he speaks to well to be a peasant and there is something about him a kind of power…" Poppy said slowly before she let out a deep sigh. "Look after him Creek that's all I'm asking."

"I will my princess." When the pink troll left to go to bed herself, intrigued by his strangely coloured guest Creek went to the door of the room of the sleeping troll and looked in at him. If this troll really was of royal blood then he was certainly not the most usual of royal trolls and the knight found himself thinking that this might be a very good thing. The purple troll was sure that by the morning the King would have been told of the strange arrival at the castle by the servants and then well they would soon see if Branch really was of royal blood. Creek moved away from the room containing the grey troll, he went to his own bedroom and settled down to sleep.

When Branch woke in the morning he felt well rested, but was annoyed to see it was still raining heavily. He left the room he had been given and joined Creek in a quiet breakfast, the grey troll was well aware of the other troll watching him closely as they ate trying to judge him. A few moments after they finished eating, there was a knock on door to the room, Creek answered it, King Peppy entered the room and at his side was a very displeased looking princess Poppy. The purple troll politely bowed to the King, Branch also rose from where he had been sitting and gave the King a respectful bow. The old troll took one look at the simply dressed grey troll sitting in Creeks main room and let out a derisive snort. "You are the one who says he is of royal blood?"

"I am King Peppy. I am Branch." Branch said in an even voice and both Creek and Poppy had to admit considering the way the King was acting that this troll showed remarkable restraint.

The King glared hard at the younger troll clearly trying to intimidate him. "I've never heard of a prince named Branch. I assume you have come here to win my daughter for your bride."

Branch raised both eyebrows at Peppy, he was not at all intimidated by the King. "No sire I simply asked your kind daughter if I could rest here for the night due to the bad weather."

"Are you trying to say my daughter is not good enough for you to consider her as a prospective bride?" The old King enquired a steely edge to his voice.

The grey troll answered this question in an even tone of voice. "I am not saying that sire, but I will say that do not know the princess well enough to say if I would consider her someone I might wish to take as my bride."

For a few moments, there was silence in the room, the King simply stared at the troll standing before him not quite sure what to say to him but eventually he spoke. "You will be tested like all the others who have come here before you. The test will be at some point towards the end of today, this test will soon tell if you are indeed a prince and if you are then my daughter will be yours." With this said the King turned and stalked out of the room.

Branch shook his head and sighed, when Poppy looked at him the poor princess was crimson with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry Branch…As you said we hardly know each other…And you were only looking for a place to shelter from the bad weather."

The grey trolls held up both hands towards the princess in a forestalling motion. "It is alright princess, I suppose I should have guessed this might happen…Well as we have today…Which is more than some royal couples get…I suggest we at least get to know each other."

Poppy gave the other troll a nod and a smile, together the two of them left the room, Creek watched them leave and then went after the two trolls wanting to make sure nothing happened between them which shouldn't. Branch looked at Poppy as they walked side by side and he said to her softly. "So, what interests do you have?"

"I love to sing, I like music too and I really enjoy dancing. I have an artistic streak mostly I paint, nothing amazing but I'm getting better…I learnt to play the guitar but my father doesn't like that I do, he says I should learn to play something more feminine like the harp but I don't like the harp. What about you what interests you and why are you grey?"

"I am grey because I…I…Sorry this is hard. I am grey because I lost my beloved grandmother when I was young. According to the other trolls I have spoken to about my condition I can only find my true colours again if I can find a some troll to love and then sing that love to them…I can't sing and I can't find someone to love because my condition makes me unhappy all the time. As for what interests me well I like to learn about nature, animals, as well as plants and what I can make from them such as healing tonics…I'm actually an accomplished healer…" Branch blushed with embarrassment and then scratched the back of his head nervously. "I don't tell many trolls that…I also have an interest in myths and legends from all of the troll clans."

The pink troll found herself intrigued by him, although Branch was unfailingly polite he was also quite down to earth. "Branch how you became grey sounds terrible…How are you ever supposed to find your true colours…? It sounds…" Poppy's sentence petered off as she searched for the right word.

"Impossible." Branch said for her and the princess gave him a nod and then the grey troll carried on speaking. "Yes, I'll admit that sometimes feel that it is an impossible task, but I try to keep hoping that someday…Someday I'll find love and a reason to sing."

Poppy found herself smiling at him, the grey troll had stopped walking, he had fallen quiet and was looking out of the window at the castle garden with a far away look in his eyes. "Where are you?" The princess found herself asking him in gentle tones.

When Branch answered this question it was in a very soft voice. "Home, at the edge of the trees, by the lake of dreams watching the stars and the moon being reflected in its water. Someday I hope that I will marry my wife by that water…"

"It sounds beautiful. Where is your home?"

"Far away from here…Your country seems very strange to me but beautiful. So how many have under gone your fathers test?" Branch asked Poppy curiously as he looked away from the window and back to the princess.

The pink troll let out a deep sigh as he asked her this question. "I'd say over twenty now. I'll admit I'm starting to think no one is going to past my father test. He changes it with every prince so that they can't cheat. All I want is to find someone to love and marry…But my father insists they have to prove they are a true prince before they can marry me…"

"It sounds like you have been through a lot yourself. Haven't you ever thought about asking your father to stop giving those who come here seeking your hand in marriage tests and let you at least find out if you actually want to marry any of them?"

Poppy let out a deep sigh. "Of cause I have thought about it, but trying to convince my father that he is wrong about his tests and that I'm old enough to make my own decisions is a bit like trying to convince a rainstorm to go away."

"Oh, I see he is that kind of stubborn…I feel sorry for you…I mean you could fall in love with one of your suiters one day and then you might not be able to be with him because of your fathers test. It seems wrong somehow."

The princess looked at the grey troll out of the corner of her eyes. "Maybe I already have fallen in love with one of the princes' who came here trying to win me." Realising that Poppy was looking at him the grey troll raised both his eyebrows at her and she smiled at him softly as she said to him. "Maybe I think grey is cute…Though you're not all grey…You have blue eyes."

Branch looked at the other troll with surprise very few trolls ever noticed the fact that his eyes were blue. "Grey is not cute, it's depressing…Trust me on that…I've been told it enough times to know."

"It wasn't very kind to be told a colour that you can't help being is depressing and besides being grey makes you different from all the other trolls I have met. I was amazed by the way you handled my father…Not many trolls are that brave or that restrained."

"Yes well, your father would not be the first troll to try and provoke a reaction from me, I learnt to control myself years ago. Is this your mother?" Branch asked indicating a painting on the wall which portrayed a pink troll in regal dress who looked too old to be Poppy.

"Oh no, that's my ancestor Queen Poppy I was named for her…She was one of the greatest rulers this country ever had and my mother hoped that naming me after Queen Poppy would give me some of her strength and wisdom." The princess explained to her grey companion as she looked at the painting which Branch had pointed to.

"Ah I see."

Poppy turned and looked at him. "What about your name Branch…It sounds so strange for a royal."

"That is because it is what my name translates to in your language, it is not how my name is said in my own country. Like your name it also comes from an ancestor long ago, many of us have carried his name and I am sure that many of my descendants will carry his name after me."

"Your people speak another language…" The grey troll gave her a nod and the princess asked. "Would you say something in your language to me?"

He gave the pink troll a second nod and then spoke. "Us un ja hil." As he spoke it felt to the princess like listening to soft flowing water or rustling leaves. "Before you ask that means if you so wish."

"It sounded lovely. You speak our language so well and go from one to the other with such ease. I would never have guessed that you hadn't been born here in our country if you hadn't told me." Poppy said with clear amazement to her voice.

Branch blushed slightly. "Yes, well I had good teachers."

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Poppy asked him suddenly blushing brightly as she did.

"Until recently no…But now I think that it might be possible to fall in love with someone at first sight." The grey troll told her locking his blue eyes with her pink ones, Branch took one of Poppy's hands into his and kissed the back of it. "You make me want to sing…" As he said the words the eyes of the grey toll went wide, he let go of the hand of the princess and backed away from her slightly. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that it just…It just came out."

"You want to sing to me…" Poppy said to him her eyes wide, Branch blushed he looked down at the floor and gave her a nod. The pink troll smiled softly at the grey troll, gently she lifted his face up and looked into those blue eyes that she found so captivating. "You want to sing to me and I want to hear you Branch." As she spoke the pink troll let go of his face and took both of his grey hands into her pink ones.

Branch looked down at their joined hands and then back up to Poppy. "You're sure?" He asked her his voice hesitant, the princess gave him a nod and an encouraging smile. The grey troll took a deep breath, as he began to sing Creek's eyes shot wide so too did Poppy's neither of them had heard such an angelic voice in all of their lives before. Branch sung about finding true colours, of always being there for the princess if she would let him be and of loving her. The pink troll blushed, then once more both her eyes and Creek's widened again as the skin of the grey troll turned sky blue and his hair became the colour of sapphires. As his song drew to its close the now blue troll smiled softly at the princess, Poppy found herself smiling back, even with his colours returned he was still a handsome troll and his colours were as rare as his grey had been in her country.

"Blue…" Creek said softly.

Branch looked at the clearly shocked purple troll and smiled. "Yes, I am blue. It's going to take some time to get used to having my colour back again. Thank you princess." After he said this the blue troll leant in and placed a kiss to Poppy's cheek and she blushed delicately.

The two trolls spent the rest of the day together with Creek watching over them, they walked and talked. It was clear to all of the other trolls in the castle who set eyes on the two royals that they were in such a short space of time already in love. Creek had to admit it was obvious from the way that Branch and Poppy acted around each other that given time and nurture this seed of new love would turn into a strong and enduring love. The purple troll had to admit that Branch was perfectly well behaved, the blue troll was regal in a quiet way and Creek also noticed that feeling that Branch was some troll of power Poppy had spoken of. The knight was a little annoyed with himself he couldn't help the nagging feeling that there was something important that he was forgetting something to do with Branch, but no matter how hard he tried Creek couldn't remember what it was he had forgotten and eventually the purple troll shook the feeling off.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two:

When the evening drew in Branch and Poppy had dinner with the King, it was a strained and uncomfortable affair. Half of which was spent with Peppy openly appraising every nuance of the behaviour of the blue troll looking to see some fault in Branch's behaviour and was annoyed to discover that he couldn't find anything wrong with the younger troll. The King had been both shocked and displeased to discover that his daughter had been the one to help him regain his colours. Peppy felt that this was Branch trying to get out of submitting to his test and the old troll did not like that idea one bit. The old King was determined that the blue troll would not escape his test no matter what. Fortunately, as far as the King was concerned he was sure that the Branch was going to fail his test, he had made sure to make this latest one extremely hard for any troll to pass let alone this clearly common troll pretending to be royal.

After the meal, the three trolls left the table, they went into another room where sat for some time listening to musicians playing various pieces of music. Poppy sang for her father and Branch, the blue troll listened to her singing with a smile on his face Branch felt that the pink troll had a wonderful voice of her own and very much enjoyed listening to her sing. Eventually the princess talked the Branch into singing with her and Peppy was as amazed, as Creek and his daughter had been the first time they had heard the blue troll sing. When it grew dark and it was time for bed the King showed Branch to his new royal guest room for the night, as the blue troll entered the bedroom he looked at the tall tower of twenty mattresses, with a ladder against it and then to the king with confusion. With a small half smile, Peppy spoke to the younger troll. "I wanted to make sure you had a good night's sleep."

"Oh, I see. Thank you King Peppy." Branch said politely.

The King watched the blue troll climb up into the bed, he left the room closing the door to the bedroom behind him and leant on the door rubbing his hands together with glee. As far as the King was concerned there was no way that imposter of a royal was going to pass his test it was such a cunning test after all. Peppy set off to get some sleep of his own, looking forward the whole way to his rooms to showing Branch to be the imposter he really was come morning.

King Peppy sat at the breakfast table smiling, Poppy was looking nervous, she knew that smile on her father's face meant that he was sure the latest suiter for her hand had failed his test. As the morning drew on the smile on her father's face grew, he turned to Poppy and said with a self-satisfied air. "It would appear he has failed too."

The pink troll let out a deep sigh before asking. "So, what was the test this time?"

"I placed a pea under twenty mattresses to test his sensitivity, any true royal wouldn't have been able to sleep, but from looking at the time now it would appear that prince Branch did sleep and very well too, which means he failed." The old King shot his daughter a triumphant look, but as his daughter's shoulders drooped and an expression of pain came onto Poppy's face a stab of concern went through Peppy.

However, before King Peppy could ask his daughter what was wrong, Branch entered the room and the old troll as well as his daughter both turned their attention onto him. The princess instantly noticed that he looked terrible and rose to her feet an expression of concern on her face. "Branch…Are you alright?"

Slowly he looked from her to the King before shaking his head, which caused him to waver slightly on his feet. Quickly Poppy was at the side of the blue troll helping him into a chair, she looked into his face which looked pale and drawn. Slowly Branch looked across the table at the King and addressed him in an aggrieved voice. "Forgive me your majesty but what do you stuff your mattresses with jousting equipment…That bed kept me awake all night."

Peppy's mouth dropped open with shock and he asked in disbelief. "You didn't sleep?"

The blue troll yawned widely and then gestured to himself. "Does it look like I slept. You should use that bed as a torture device."

Poppy's eyes had gone wide and filled with joy at the same time and she burst out with. "Branch you passed the test!"

"The test…How was the bed the test…?" He asked the pink troll with confusion his clearly sleep deprived mind not able to understand what she was trying to tell him.

The princess smiled affectionately at him and then explained her excitement. "My father put a pea under the twenty mattresses and you felt it."

Suddenly Branch sat up slightly straighter, he turned furious blue eyes onto Peppy who squirmed under the intensity of that gaze. "A pea! Under twenty mattresses! No wonder I'm covered in bruises!"

The King glared back at the younger troll and then looked at his daughter. "He may have passed the test but I still refused to believe that Branch is royal!"

Poppy looked at her father astonished. "But you said whoever passed the test was a true prince and I could marry him."

Peppy pointed a shaking finger at Branch. "I am not about to let you marry that…That no body! He could be from any were!"

Branch's eyes narrowed. "I am still in the room!" He exclaimed with aggravation.

Peppy and Poppy however were not listening to him. "Father what a thing to say!"

"It's the truth! Branch just says he is of royal blood is he even really a prince? We have no proof of any of his claims! He could be of distant royalty for all we know! I am not letting you marry some nobody!" Peppy said standing, slamming his fists down onto the table. "Yes, he passed the test but what do you or I really know about Branch? Nothing that's what!"

Poppy glared at her father. "That's your fault! You give them one day! One day father! To get to know me and if you see fit for them to get to know you! How is that supposed to tell us anything about the trolls coming to try and win my hand?"

"THAT'S IT!" Branch roared, he came to his feet and banged both of his hands down on the table. "I count myself as an even tempered troll but I have had enough! I am not a prince! What I am is a royal! I should not have to explain what my title is to any other royal! You King Peppy should be ashamed of your actions! You prevent your own daughter from finding happiness! You also deprived me of a nights sleep so you could prove if I was a royal or not and then when I pass the test you still won't believe I am of royal blood or if I am I have to be some lesser royal. Clearly as far as you are concerned no royal troll is ever going to be good enough for your daughter!" The blue troll turned and stalked furiously out of the room leaving behind two very shocked trolls standing behind him.

Peppy turned a glare onto his daughter and waved a hand in the direction of the door. "See! See he admitted he isn't a prince! What kind of royal acts like that?!"

"A tired one!" Poppy shot back at her father. "I am going to go after Branch and I intend to apologise to him for both of us!"

The King rounded the table and stood before his daughter. "You are not going after him and you are certainly not apologising to that fake prince for me."

"Do not call Branch a fake prince! Out of all three of us he was the one behaving like a true royal. I'm ashamed of the fact I've let you rule my life for so long but no more father! I am going to go after Branch and I am going to marry him and if you don't approve then I shall simply return to his home country with him!" Poppy pushed her father aside, before she ran out of the room to go and find Branch.

Peppy watched his daughter leave with wide eyes hardly able to believe how angry Poppy was with him she had never lost her temper with him like this before. A few moments later the King went after his daughter, as he walked Peppy called to his side the castle guards he went passed, the old King was determined to find Poppy and stop her going after Branch. The old troll was convinced that once his daughter had been kept away from the other troll for a while she would forget about Branch and everything would go back to the way it had been before the blue troll had appeared in their lives. Peppy found his daughter as she checked yet another room of the castle, Poppy turned to look at him and the guards before she folded his arms. "What do you want father?"

"I want you to stop looking for Branch!"

Before either of them could say anything, another voice interrupted them. "You don't need to stop Poppy from looking for Branch, he already left." Both of the trolls turned to look at Creek.

The eyes of the princess went wide and a look of pure pain crossed her face. "No…Please tell me Branch hasn't gone far."

Creek went to say something but Peppy got their first. "You are not going after him!" He signalled the guards forward. "Take the princess to her room."

"Father no please." Poppy said despairingly.

The King didn't say anything to his daughter, instead he just watched with a dispassionate gaze and his arms folded over his chest as the guards took her away to her rooms. When Peppy came to Poppy's room later in the day he could hear her sobbing from within and steeled himself to deal with the situation. The King reminded himself that his daughter would recover from whatever she thought she had felt for Branch given time. Peppy opened the door to his daughter bedroom, he walked into the room, the King quickly found that Poppy was buried under the covers of her bed and the princess was shaking as she wept. "Poppy please stop this." The King said to his daughter, there was no reply, the sobbing and shaking just continued.

Every day Peppy came to see Poppy, but no matter how many times the King came to see his daughter the princess refused to talk to him. Eventually thought the shaking and the crying did stop and the princess came back out of her room to re-join life in the castle but much to the distress of the King she had turned grey. No matter what Peppy tried his daughter would not smile or laugh, it was almost as if all of her joy had vanished right along with Branch and when other suiters did come to the castle Poppy wanted nothing to do with any of them. The King even gave up his testing of those suiters who came for his daughter's hand in the hopes that this would bring back the daughter he missed but it was to no avail the damage had already been done. Most days Peppy found his daughter sitting in a window seat staring out of one of the castle windows, but not appearing to actually look at anything outside.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three:

Over time Peppy came to realize that the only way he was ever going to get Poppy back to being her normal self was by bringing Branch back to her. The old King sent messengers and guards out from his kingdom in every direction to search for the blue troll but all of them much to the King's distress returned empty handed. The old troll often wondered what his daughter was doing when she sat in the window, but no matter how many times Peppy asked Poppy the now grey troll wouldn't tell him. As the year anniversary since Branch had left his kingdom came Peppy was glad that in accordance with ancient tradition the rulers of the troll clans would be coming to his kingdom for a meeting that was held between them all which was held in a different kingdom every five years. The old King hoped that since the rulers of the further flung clans would come to this meeting that maybe he could find out from them if Branch was a member of one of their families.

Creek would often spend time sitting with Poppy on the window seat, unlike Peppy the knight knew why the princes liked to sit here and said to her softly. "You're thinking about Branch, again aren't you?"

"Of cause I am…I think about him every day…I wonder if Branch is home now in the forest he told me about…? Is he standing by the lake of dreams thinking about me or has Branch decided that after the way my father treated him that he should forget about me find another troll to marry?"

The purple troll let out a deep sigh, Creek gave the princess a hug which she reluctantly accepted and when he pulled back from the hug the knight addressed his friend. "Poppy I doubt that Branch would ever forget about you and neither do I think that he would marry any troll other than you."

"I hope not…All I want is to see Branch again and become his wife."

"I know you do. We are doing the best we can, your father and I are both hoping that one of the clan's leaders will know of Branch." Creek told his friend trying to give the grey troll hope.

The princess managed to give the knight a small smile. "It would be wonderful if one of them could tell us were Branch is."

A few days after this Poppy sat in the same window seat where she always sat however her eyes were focused today as the princess was watching as the rulers of the clans made their way into the castle, it was amazing to see so many of them, they ranged in age, sex, colour and style of dress. Every ruler came with all those trolls with them that they might need the assistance of during their stay. There was however one group of trolls that Poppy was really looking forward to seeing, these were the Mystic trolls, the princess had read all about them, they lived far away from her home in the forests of Tilien, a land that was said to be so full of magic that it had become part of the trolls that lived there. The Kings and Queens of the royal line were all said to be blessed with three gifts, the first was great magic, the second was an ability to have visions and the third was the gift of true love. It was said that every one of the Kings and Queens of the Mystic trolls had married for true love and Poppy had to admit she envied them that.

Suddenly down below she spotted the Mystic trolls, they were not hard to spot, they all wore long all covering robes called hashta concealing their bodies completely, these robes fell all the way to the floor and had hoods on them which flattened their hair and hid their faces in complete darkness, the Mystic trolls even wore gloves to cover their hands. It was said that they covered themselves so completely only when they left their forest home, no troll was exactly sure why they did so, though stories and rumours about why were not hard to come by but no troll actually knew the truth. As Poppy looked the group over her eyes were drawn to one figure standing in the centre of the party, this was the current ruling monarch of the Mystic trolls, he or she…It was impossible to tell females from males due to the hashta, wore a shimmering blue hashta which was embroidered with golden swirls. Poppy knew from this gold embroidery that he or she was the ruler because only the ruler and their spouse were permitted to use gold and silver decorations in their hashta.

Reluctantly Poppy moved away from her window to go and do her duty by join her father in greeting the rulers of the other tribes. The princess spent what felt like an eternity, greeting monarch after monarch, all of them were polite, a few of them however greeted her father with some strain as their sons had undergone her father's test and failed. At last the Mystic trolls came, Poppy watched with interest as her father greeted them and bowed his head politely to the ruler of these trolls. The monarch in return kept their hands tucked away in the wide sleeves of the hashta, no words were spoken by this ruler but the monarch of the Mystic trolls bowed their head politely to King Peppy. Then the princess was looking up into the great dark space of the hood of the ruler of the Mystic trolls and Poppy found that her voice had fled. Slowly the gloved hands came out of the sleeves, gently the ruler took her hands, then kissed the back of one followed by the other and for some reason the pink troll found herself blushing. The monarch released her hands, then walked away from her to begin greeting the others present. Poppy found herself unable to take her eyes away from the ruler of the Mystic trolls, there was something strangely enchanting about the mysterious figure.

Poppy was glad that she did not have to be present for the talks that were going on between the rulers of the clans, it seemed to her like long and very boring work. The princess knew that these talks were vital for trade and keeping the peace between all of the clans but still it felt to her as though it all went on for far too long. The pink troll much to her pleasure had discovered that the Mystic trolls were ruled by their King called Allious, she had also found out the King was quite young and sadly that he had been ruling the Mystic trolls for many years as his parents had unfortunately died when he was very young. Despite his youth Poppy had quickly discovered that the other troll monarchs had a great deal of respect for King Allious and would not dream of not treating the young King with the respect he deserved.

Creek sighed, he felt sad for Poppy, they had been friends since their childhood and he hated seeing her the way she was now. The knight like the King wanted the old princess back, the purple troll had even helped in the search for Branch but just like all the other trolls who had gone searching for the blue troll Creek had also come up empty handed. The knight had spent the past few days helping the King enquire from the leaders of the more distant clans if any of them had a Branch in their family but so far he had still not found a royal family at the clan meeting with such a relative. Creek was seriously beginning to think that the King might have been right and Branch had not been a royal at all, but at the same time he didn't want to give up hope that the other troll could be found.

After another long day of helping King Peppy in any way he could with the clan meeting Creek was sitting on a bench in his favourite place in the castle garden looking up at the full moon and relaxing. The purple troll was well hidden from sight by the foliage of some of the garden plants and Creek had to admit that in this moment he was rather enjoying the peace and privacy of this place. The attention of the knight was drawn away from looking at the moon as several Mystic trolls walked into the garden together. The purple troll could see that their King Allious was amongst them, the hidden King turned to one of his men and asked in a voice which had Creek freezing. "Do you think I am safe to come out from under the hashta for a moment?"

"There appears to be no troll here sire so yes."

The purple troll peered through the plants watching as the Kings leather gloved hands lifted and pushed back the hood of the all concealing hashta, sapphire blue hair stood back up slowly forming a shape which the knight instantly recognised. As the hair stood up once more it made sky blue skin visible and Creek quickly covered his mouth to stop himself from crying out with joy as seeing this sky blue skin confirmed to him that King Allious was Branch. This was when the knight remembered what it was he hadn't been able to remember when he had first met Branch, that feeling of power he radiated was his magic something all Mystic trolls possessed. Creek was pulled out of his thoughts and feeling like an idiot for not remembering this earlier by the voice of one of the other Mystic trolls who said to Branch. "Poor princess Poppy, is she the one you told us about sire?"

"Yes, Poppy is the one. Honestly what kind of test is putting a pea under twenty mattresses? It left me with a pea shaped mark on my left thigh that will not go away unlike all the others and I've tried everything I can think of to get rid of it."

Another of the Mystic trolls spoke up. "Forgive me sire but I would have thought it was obvious why you cannot get rid of that mark."

"It is not obvious to me Lendes so please tell me why will the mark not go away?"

"Sire, princess Poppy brought back your colours, for that to happen you had to find love, but you found more than love you found true love sire. The mark of the pea on your body will not go away because it is the mark of that love."

Slowly both the eyes of the blue troll and the hidden knight widened, the King placed his head in his hands and then said in a tone of disbelief. "Oh, it's a mark of true love…Of cause why didn't I see that?"

After hearing this conversation quickly but quietly the purple troll left the garden and once Creek was sure he was far enough away from the other trolls he broke out into a run. He dashed through the castle, to the room of the princess and when he got to her rooms Creek hammered on her door. When Poppy opened the door, she took one look at her clearly out of breath friend and pulled the knight into her room. "Creek what is it?"

The purple troll gasped for a few moments catching his breath, before grabbing the hands of the grey princess and saying. "Branch…He is here…!"

"What?!" Poppy questioned in clear disbelief.

Creek gave her a nod and spoke again. "I've seen him…Poppy you need to be brave, I know it's hard for you as you are grey now, but Branch was brave enough to do it for you and now you need to be brave enough to do it for him."

The princess frowned at her friend in confusion. "Creek I don't understand I need to do what?"

"Sing Poppy, go out on your balcony and sing…Sing true colours."

"I can't." Poppy said sadly.

Creek gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. "Yes, you can…You can do this I know you can. Branch sung that song for you when he shouldn't have been able to as he was grey and now you need to do the same. Sing for him Poppy, draw him out of hiding with your voice."

The grey princess gulped she looked towards the balcony, Creek let go of her hands, the knight gave his friend a nod and then a gentle push in the right direction. Taking her bravery in both of her hands Poppy walked out on to the balcony, she turned her gaze up to the full moon leant on the balcony railing and then lifted her voice in song. Just as she was about to give up and stop singing a voice joined hers, a voice which had Poppy's eyes widening and the princess looking down. Standing bellow, her was Branch, she recognised the hashta he wore as that of the King of the Mystic trolls and realized the one she loved had been here the whole time and she hadn't known it. As their voices joined together Poppy smiled down at him and he smiled back at her, the princess quickly realised that the King was glowing blue slightly which she knew was a mark of not just love but of true love which made her smile grow. As their voices grew in strength Poppy watched with joy in her heart as her true colours swept up her as they had done for Branch last time this song had been sung.

As the last notes of their song died Poppy now glowing with pink light vaulted over the railing of her balcony, she knew that Branch would catch her, sure enough a few moments later sapphire blue hair wrapped carefully around her waist and she was brought into the safety of Branch's arms. The King looked down at the princess in his arms, Poppy looked back up at him and then put her arms up round his neck. "Branch…I suppose I should feel angry at you from hiding from me but I can't be…I'm just glad you are here with me again at last. I have to ask this does Allious mean Branch?" She asked him softly.

He smiled at her and gave the princess a nod. "Yes, it does but I would like you to continue to call me Branch, it is your name for me and I like hearing you call me by that name."

"No wonder my father couldn't find you. You told me Branch was a translation of your name into my language…I'll admit I'd forgotten all about that until now." As Poppy admitted this to the one she loved the princess blushed.

Branch chuckled, it was at this moment that the other Mystic trolls walked up to his side and one of them addressed the King. "Sire?"

The blue troll still glowing turned to them with the still glowing Poppy still in his arms and smiled round at his people. "This is princess Poppy my true love." As he said this the princess moved her hands into his hair, Poppy pulled his head down, closed her eyes and kissed Branch. The King closed his eyes and he surrendered to the love he felt for the troll in his arms, fulling returning the kiss the princess was giving him. The other Mystic trolls looked to each other before turning back to watch the young couple, knowing that these two trolls were truly in love they knew not to come between them. It was the blue troll who broke the kiss, he gave Poppy a mischievous smile, Branch placed the pink troll on her feet, flattened his hair, before he drew up the hood of his hashta back up and then lifted her back into his arms. Once she was in the blue troll's arms the princess quickly put her arms round the shoulders of the King and frowned into the darkness of his hood with confusion. The King looked to his companions, gave them a nod and together they walked into the castle, as the group walked past other trolls in the castle Poppy found herself blushing with embarrassment and hiding her face in the shoulder of the hidden Branch.

Eventually they came to the throne room where King Peppy was, as the old King spotted Allious and that he was carrying his now once more pink daughter his eyes widened with surprise. Quickly Peppy rose from his throne onto his feet, his orange eyes went from the hidden King, to Poppy and then back again. "King Allious…Poppy you have your colour back…" Slowly the princess turned her head to look at her father and smiled at him, Peppy almost wept with joy at the sight of his daughter's smile. "But how is this possible?" The old King asked the two trolls standing before him.

Poppy looked into the dark hood and slowly the hidden troll lowered his head and gave the princess a nod of permission. Smiling brightly the pink troll carefully pushed the hood back, as Branch's hair stood back up into its normal shape Peppy let out a gasp of surprise and said in a shocked voice. "Branch…But your name is Allious."

Slowly Branch smiled at him. "Allious means Branch. I did tell you I wasn't a prince King Peppy and that I was royal…To me the answer to what I was seemed obvious, but I guess it wasn't for everyone else."

"Well no wonder we weren't able to find you…We had the wrong name…I owe you an apology, my behaviour towards you was appalling. I have already apologised to all of the other royals for my tests…I should have trusted Poppy and let her follow her heart from the start. Now my daughter has found you once more I have no intention of preventing you both from being together."

Happy that King Peppy was not going to stand between them again Branch carefully placed Poppy down on her feet and gave her a brief hug. When the young King released her from his hug, the pink troll went over to her father and gave the old King a tight hug of his own which he quickly returned. After a few moments they broke the hug, father and daughter shared a smile Peppy was so glad to see his daughter was happy again. The princess quickly came back to the side of the blue troll, once there she took one of his hands into hers, then Poppy turned back towards her father and said softly but firmly to him. "I will never be parted from King Branch again father."

The old King gave his daughter an understanding nod but before he could say anything to Poppy the King of the Mystic trolls, held her hand firmly in his own, looked down at the one he loved and spoke. "Well my love if you truly wish to never be parted from me again, then with your father's permission I shall make you my wife and you can return to my home with me at the end of the meeting of the clans."

Poppy smiled widely up at the blue troll clearly pleased by his suggestion, before she then turned to look at her father again, Peppy smiled at her and said softly. "As long as Poppy is in agreement with you, then I will not object to your marrying my daughter."

"Of cause I agree!" The pink troll said with excitement, before she took her hand out of the King's hand, then flung her arms around the one she loved and hugged Branch hard.

With a chuckle the King of the Mystic trolls returned the embrace, as they drew apart from the hug the blue troll looked at Peppy who said with a wide smile on his face. "Well then I suggest we begin to organise the wedding." So, it was with great joy that the three royals came together to begin to plan the wedding.

The wedding took place at the end of the week, the three royal trolls had purposefully kept the wedding small and simple so that it could be held before the meeting of the clans was over. The young royal couple were being married in the castle chapel with all of the rulers of the clans in attendance. Poppy wore a simple white wedding dress, she was carrying a bouquet of sweat pea flowers in honour of the pea which had brought them together, the same blooms were also woven into her hair and made into a circlet that rested on her brow. In honour of the ceremony and the traditions of Poppy's country, Branch was not hidden away as he had been before. Instead he wore dark blue trousers, over which was a long sleeved, lighter blue tunic cut at a diagonal at the bottom and decorated at the wrists and neckline with a gold celtic knot pattern. The King wore a simple gold crown, it had no decoration it was clearly a very old crown but one that had been well treasured by Branch's family. The simple ceremony did not last long, they exchanged vows which were short but heartfelt and when Poppy and Branch were declared husband and wife they shared a short but loving kiss. As they pulled apart from the kiss one of the Mystic trolls stepped forward, he brought with him a second simple gold crown, Branch gave the other troll a smile, he took the crown from him and then placed it onto Poppy's head marking her out as his Queen. Side by side the newly married couple led those attending their wedding to the ballroom where the feast and ball to celebrate their union was to be held. When the feast had ended, the newly married couple took to the floor and danced together, they were soon joined by plenty of other trolls, which got the celebrations really under way and the party lasted well into the night.

As the meeting of the clans wound down, Poppy started to pack for her journey to Branch's home, she had to admit she was looking forward to seeing her new home country. The pink troll was glad that the King of the Mystic trolls had said they would make time to come back and visit her home country as and when they could. Poppy didn't want to lose touch with her father, Creek or all of the goings on in what would one day be her Kingdom. After their wedding Branch and Poppy had talked at length about what they wanted to do when the time came for the pink troll to take over ruling the country from her father. Eventually they had decided that they would use the magic of the Mystic clan to travel back and forth between the two Kingdoms as much as they needed to as well as to keep an eye on Poppy's home country.

The new Queen of the Mystic trolls looked across the room towards her very own hashta, at least now Poppy knew why they wore these hashta it was to stop their magic leaking into the air. It turned out that it was this power she had sensed coming from Branch when they had originally met. Poppy had been told by her new husband that the Mystic trolls always leaked magic they couldn't help it, mostly they only leaked a small amount which caused no trouble, but if a Mystic troll became frightened then their magic would naturally spike to protect them which could have unforeseen consequences. The hashta had special spells woven into the fabric to stop a magic flaring escaping for any reason but did not stop the Mystic trolls still being able to use their magic if need be. Branch had also explained to his new Queen that she would gain magic as it was literally part of their land, it was in the water and the plants which meant as she ate their food and drank their water it would become part of her too.

When the at last, the day came for Poppy to leave her home with Branch and his people, the new Queen was both excited and nervous about everything which was to come. Carefully Poppy put on her hashta, the pink troll really loved her hashta it was a soft grey pink which was decorated with lovely delicate sky blue flowers which were detailed with silver thread. Over the time which had passed since her wedding the princess had made sure to spend time getting use to walking around in the hashta, the last thing Poppy wanted was to trip over in it and make a fool of herself in front of any of the other trolls. The pink troll had also begun to learn the language of her new people and she was studying magic so that she would be ready for it when the time came. The new Queen said a tearful goodbye to Creek and her father before leaving her old home at the side of her new husband and setting off into her future beside Branch.


End file.
